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Carlton's hands were sweating.
He didn't know why he was so nervous since he was the one who wanted to do this today. Shawn was okay doing it some other day-or, if he had it his way, never.
"Lassie-face, you don't understand. Henry is not going to react well. It's too early, and he has never reacted well to anyone I have dated. I only told him I also like guys, like, two years ago. We have to give it more time!"
Shawn was digging his heels into the grass of Henry's front yard, and Carlton was trying to-discreetly-bodily drag him to the door.
"Too early? When I went fishing with Henry in the morning, he would get up before or around 5 am."
Shawn paused. "It is still so weird that you guys bonded before," Shawn said with a small shudder. "And that's not what I meant," he added. "I mean that it is too early in our relationship for us to tell him."
Carlton shot Shawn an exasperated look and dragged Shawn along more obviously while Shawn whined. "We have been going out for almost a year," Carlton huffed out between grunts of exertion. Shawn had gone boneless. "And I know that that had also been my decision, for us to remain a secret until we could be more certain of where we stood and so we could keep our jobs-but Gus has always known, Juliet has known since the sixth month mark, and the Chief caught us making out in one of the cells two months ago. While we're lucky she didn't fire us, it could have just as easily been Henry since he's working at the station now."
Carlton gave up all pretense of gently pulling Shawn along and reached over to pick him up. He'd carry him to the door if he had to.
Just as Carlton hefted Shawn into his arms, and Shawn let out a very loud yelp, Carlton heard a voice call out to them that made him freeze.
"It looks like you could use some help," Henry said loudly. "Here, let me get the door for you."
Henry didn't bat an eye at Carlton holding Shawn so close. Carlton felt like a husband carrying his new bride through the threshold of their new home.
Carlton, unsure and awkward, waddled through the door with a paralyzed-from-shock Shawn in his arms. He was definitely crossing a threshold, he just didn't know what kind.
"Just set him down on the couch," Henry directed. "He'll get over his surprise soon." Carlton very slowly set Shawn on the couch and passed a worried hand over his forehead. Shawn blinked at him with flabbergasted eyes. Henry continued without mentioning Carlton's gentleness. "Meanwhile," Henry added lightly, "we can talk about your intentions with my son, and if you plan to make an honest man out of him."
Carlton blinked, thrown off-guard, then scowled. Henry looked greatly amused.
"You knew?" Carlton grumbled. He'd been worried all morning, dealing with a more-than-reluctant Shawn, who Carlton had practically had to manhandle to get here, and Henry already knew.
"For the last three months." Henry shook his head at Carlton and smiled like he knew the secret of life itself. "Honestly," Henry laughed as he left the room, "who do you think told the Chief you guys were in those cells anyway?"
Carlton let that sink in while Shawn gave a faint twitch on the couch.